One Master
by Gemstar24
Summary: Harley has a big decision to make. When she finds out she's pregnant, The Joker will do anything to make sure she knows who her one true master is. Bane makes his grand entrance into Gotham as he and The Joker work together to unleash hell on the city. Nolanverse. Dark themes. Seventh in the Reflection Series.
1. chapter 1

_Welcome back to the Reflection Series! If you are a new reader, I would encourage you to go back and read the previous parts before starting on this one. If you enjoy any of my stories, please give me a comment so I know! Thank you and enjoy!_

July 9, 10:43 AM

H: Daddy, I think I'm coming down with something.

J: What do you want me to do about it?

H: Can u bring me some soup?? The kind I like from that place. ;-)

J: Tell one of the guys to get it for you. I'm busy.

H: It tastes better when u get it.

July 9, 12:24 PM

J: What place?

H: The one at the corner of Kendall and Washington. The chicken and rice one. Thx.

The Joker sat in the backseat of an old Lincoln with tinted windows as he waited for Marty to run in and get Harley's soup. He reflected on how his life ended up this way. He was a ruthless killer, the most feared man in Gotham, and now look at him, he was leaving a meeting with his associates and picking up chicken soup for his sick wife. He was whipped.

"Got the soup, boss. Are we bringing it to Ms Quinn now?"

"Yeah, Marty, but we aren't staying. I have stuff to do."

The two drove back to the abandoned duplex they moved to soon after their wedding. Harley and The Joker lived in one side and all the henchmen occupied the other.

The house was quiet aside from the occasional creak or moan from the old architecture. His heavy step made the staircase squeak as he made his way upstairs to the room they shared. She wasn't in bed where he expected.

"Harl! Soup's here! Where are you?"

"In here.", the small voice came from the attached bathroom.

"Hurry up would ya. I got _things_ to do."

"Just a minute, Pud'."

He leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. He heard the toilet flush and the sink run. She came out of the bathroom looking pale. She was just wearing an oversized t-shirt that said "Girls Rule, Boys Drool" and panties.

"I think I have a fever.", she said weakly as she eyed the bed.

He walked over to her and felt her forehead. "Feels fine to me, baby." He led her to the bed and she got in. He brought her the bag with the soup and spoon. She looked exhausted.

He gave her a side glance. "Are you going to, uh, be okay by yourself?"

She looked up to him as she adjusted her blankets with tears threatening to spill. "Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine, Mista J. You're a busy man and I've already asked for enough." She brought her balled up hands to her eyes and let out a high pitched sob.

He rolled his eyes and put out his cigarette. Sitting on the bed he said, "Come here, honey." He held out his arms and she scrambled to him. "What's wrong? Tell Daddy where it hurts."

"I just feel awful. I'm exhausted and my stomach has been so sensitive. I was just barfing my brains out. I feel like crap. And, and I'm exhausted." She burrowed her face in his warm neck, soaking up his pity for her.

"Yeah, you, uh, said that.", he chuckled.

The sobbing returned.

"It's fine, Harl. I'll rescheduled some things till tomorrow. I'll just do some work in my office while you rest."

"Really? You'd do that for me?" She looked up at her husband adoringly.

"Anything for you, babydoll."

The Joker worked in his office for the rest of the afternoon. He hadn't had an entire room to himself since before Harley. He planned on staying in the duplex as long as they could. It was a good setup.

He walked past the bedroom a few times to get some coffee from the kitchen and peered in to find her sleeping. With an unusual amount of free time on his hands he rummaged through the fridge to find something to eat. There was some frozen fish with easy enough instructions. He heated the oven and tossed the filets inside. He smoked and read the newspaper while his dinner baked. When the timer went off he plated his meal and brought it back up to his office.

"What's that disgusting smell?", Harley shrieked as he walked by. He stopped and looked in at her as he held the dish. She suddenly ran to the bathroom and threw up again.

He looked to the ceiling in thought and then continued to his office. He had a hard time concentrating on his work for the rest of the evening.

He made it to bed early in the morning and Harley slept like a rock next to him. He woke up to her getting sick in the bathroom again. The answer was finally solidified in his mind. He knew what was really wrong with her and it made his blood boil. He stormed to the bathroom and threw the door open to see her kneeling next to the toilet. She looked up at his piercing eyes as sweat formed on her brow. She was about to ask him what was wrong, but he cut her off.

"Get rid of it!", he said angrily through clenched teeth.

"Huh? What do you mean?", she said genuinely confused.

He pointed at her abdomen, "I don't care how you do it. Just get rid of it now!", he turned and slammed the door on his way out, making the contents of the medicine cabinet rattle. He muttered incoherently to himself as he got dressed and left the house.

Harley sat against the tub and rested her head in her hands. "What was he talking about?", she asked herself. "Get rid of what?"


	2. chapter 2

The Joker showed up at Dr Armstrong's apartment that morning, frantically knocking on his door. The doctor had treated him several times over the years when he wasn't able to take care of himself. The doctor didn't mind helping a criminal if the price was right.

The door opened and the doc was wearing his maroon bathrobe and slippers. "Joker! Come in. Is everything okay?", he took a step back, allowing J to stomp past him.

J sat on the couch. "My wife is pregnant.", he said flatly.

"Well I didn't know you were even married! Congratulations times two. When would you like me to see her?"

The Joker glared at him and held up a finger. "First of all doc, I don't want your _grabby_ hands on my wife. Second of all, she's not keepin' i _t_. Third of all, explain to me how this could happen if I've had a vasectomy."

The doctor gulped as he felt the pressure for an answer under The Joker's stare. "Well, its very uncommon, but there is a minuscule chance that the vas defrens tube can... regrow thus once again letting sperm flow. There's really no way to prevent it. It's just extremely rare. I can take a sample and check it for you if you'd like."

"Do it now.", The Joker demanded.

Dr Armstrong nodded and brought him a sample cup from his supplies. The Joker took it and went to the bathroom. Due to his mood, he was in the room much longer than he wanted to be, but came out and returned the cup to the doctor. "Call me when you find out.", he said as he stormed out the door.

"Ivy? Can you come over please?" Harley didn't know what else to possibly think other than J thought she was pregnant.

"Sure honey! Is everything okay?"

"I-I don't know.", her voice sounding shaky. "I need you to bring me something."

"Okay, what?"

"A-a pregnancy test."

Ivy raced over in record time with a drugstore bag.

"Harley? I'm here.", she yelled when she walked inside the duplex.

"Upstairs, Red!"

Ivy followed her voice upstairs to the bedroom. Harley was in bed with the pillow over her head.

"I brought it, Harl.", she held up the bag.

Harley sat up and took the bag. She went into the bathroom as she flipped the box over in her trembling hands. "I don't know what any of this means.", she held it out to Ivy.

Ivy took the box and read the instructions. "Okay, so pee on this end for five seconds. Then set it down and wait two minutes for the results."

Ivy tried to stay calm for her friend, but she didn't see a good outcome if it ended up being positive. Harley pulled down her underwear and hovered over the toilet as she peed on the stick not caring at all that Ivy was in the same room. She recapped the test and set it on the counter. They waited in silence, staring at each other. Time crawled by. The ticking of the dying wall clock made it feel so much longer. _Tick... tick... tick._ Once she could stand the suspense no longer, her eyes darted to the stick.

Two lines.

Harley grabbed the box to confirm her thoughts. She threw the box at the wall and the tears spilled. "Mista J wants me to have an-an- abortion."

"Oh sweetie. Is that what you want?"

"I don't know, Red. I don't know anything. I thought I just had the flu. This morning I was throwing up and he just stormed in here and told me to 'get rid of it'."

"It sounds like you need some time to think this through. You don't have to make any decisions right now. Don't let him pressure you into something you don't want to do." She rubbed her shoulder and grew angry at J for getting Harley into this predicament.

 _Easier said than done,_ Harley thought.

The Joker called Harvey up to meet for a drink at The Grin and Bare It. The strip club was musky and cigarette smoke lingered in the air. Men sitting near the stage were hooting and throwing dollar bills at the strung out looking dancer on the pole. J got a table near the back and looked up from his whisky when Harvey walked toward him. A scantily clad waitress came by to take Harvey's order. J lit a cigarette and leaned back.

"What's up, J? You never call for a drink in the middle of the day." Harvey watched the waitress as she sauntered away from the men.

"Yeah, well-", he trailed off, "I think Harl's got a bun in the oven.", he said unenthusiastically.

"And, that's a bad thing." Harvey lit a cigar he pulled from his jacket pocket.

"I told her to get rid of it."

"What'd she say?"

"I don't think she realized what I was talking about. I left before she could really say anything."

"Wow.", was all Harvey could say. He raised his eyebrows and looked down at the drink that was just set before him.

J puffed away with his eyes drifting to the brunette on stage. "We just can't do this. I know she's gonna wanna keep it, but we can't. It's too much of a liability. I don't want kids.", he said without returning Harvey's gaze.

"Well, I'm sure she'll see it your way, J. She always does. I agree with you for what it's worth. I can't exactly see you two going to parent-teacher conferences.", he chuckled.

J sighed.

"You hear about this guy in town? I think he goes by Bane or something like that.", Harvey inquired.

"Yeah, I heard something about that."

"You think he's a threat?"

"Don't know. Not sure what his endgame is. I heard he takes a, uh, serum to make him strong. I've got Eddie looking into him for me."

"Probably just blowing through town.", Harvey said trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

"Yeah, probably.", J replied, but his thoughts were back on Harley.

The Joker let Marty drive him around for a while so he could clear his head. His phone rang and he answered.

"Yeah."

"Mr Joker, it's Dr Armstrong. I just finished testing your specimen and it does appear that there are sperm present. I'd like to get you in for a repeat procedure whenever possible."

J growled. "Doc, what's the timeline like for an abortion?"

"Well, in my opinion, earliest is best. First trimester is the easiest time. The state allows it to be done up to twenty weeks, but the longer you wait, the more traumatic the experience will be to your wife."

The Joker hung up.

 _She would forgive him, his Ha-ha-Harley. Even if she didn't understand why he was making her do this now, she would thank him later. He only did things for her good. Well, that wasn't true, but he did care about her and knew that this needed to be done. She was already a liability to him. She was just lucky no one had the guts to try to get to him through her. Not yet at least. But a kid, that's just asking for it. They weren't capable of raising a kid in his lifestyle and he wouldn't dare let her leave to raise it on her own. His Ha-ha-Harley would never leave. She would understand._


	3. chapter 3

It was late that night when The Joker got back home. Harley was asleep in their bed. He took off his coat as he stared at her in the darkness, only streetlight shining through the window. He prowled toward her and climbed on top of her still form. She struggled to wake up and was startled to see his face hovering over his. His eyes were lost in the blackness of his greasepaint. She felt suddenly uncomfortable by his presence.

"Joker?" She almost never called him that, only when the situation was serious.

He grabbed her cheeks in one gloved hand and squeezed.

" _Look_ at me.", he growled. "I don't care what fairytale you created in that little brain of yours, but put it ou _t_ of your mind. We are not _having_ a child. We can't afford to have a liability like this on our hands. I have enough weaknesses because of you and I don't need one more. You _will_ have an abortion and you will either go on birth control or get your tubes tied. I'm being generous by letting you decide."

Her face ached from the pressure. She wanted to talk so bad, but she knew he was in no mood to listen.

"I will take you to someone to get it done. It's just a few pills and then we can put this _little mishap_ behind us and never speak of it again. I'm only _daddy_ to one person on this earth, Harley, and you're lucky it's you, _sweetheart_." He gave her a solid, but light smack on her cheek. "Tell me you agree."

"Y-yes, sir."

"Good girl." He got off her and left for his office, slamming the doors as he went.

She laid shaking in bed after The Joker left her alone. Her hands softly caressed her belly. She knew he was right about a child being a liability. Someone could use the baby against them one day. She knew this was no life for a child. That was why she had already talked to her sister that afternoon. That was why Hope would be adopting their baby and there wasn't a thing The Joker would do about it.

Eddie had called The Joker in the early hours of the next morning with an update on the newcomer, Bane.

"He's been in Gotham for about a month. From what I've picked up, he's been staying in a secret hideout in the sewers, but no one's saying where exactly. He wears a mask that delivers a serum which in turn makes him incredibly strong."

"Where did he come from?", The Joker asked.

"He's been in a foreign prison for most of his life."

"Why is he here?"

"That I guess you'll have to find out yourself, J. He's got a request. He wants to meet you."

The Joker thought for a moment. "Set it up, Eddie. Soon."

"Aye aye, captain."

"You're coming out with me later, Harl.", The Joker said as he stood in the doorway to their bedroom.

Harley was sitting in bed on her laptop. She glanced up at him.

"Oh yeah?", she said flatly.

"We are meeting a new _friend_. Wear that, uh, red romper thing I like. I wanna show ya off.", he winked.

Normally she would giggle if he said something like that, but instead she returned with, "Mmhmm."

"I'm gonna let that slide because you're not feeling well, sweets, but change the attitude or I'll change it for you."

"Yes, daddy."

A few hours later Eddie called The Joker. "He is ready to meet you . He sounded eager from what I heard from my source."

"Yeah, yeah, where?"

"A private room at The Iceberg Lounge."

"I hate that place."

"Yeah, well options are limited when two criminals want to meet. Starbucks is kind of outta the question.", Eddie giggled.


	4. chapter 4

Harley got dressed just as J had instructed. The red romper he requested was one of his favorites. The top was a halter-style and the shorts were tiny. She chose black heels that made her long legs appear that much longer. She put her hair in two high pig tails and applied bright red lipstick. Sometimes if J wanted to act more intimidating, he would bring her along with him. It boosted his ego showing off that he could break anything, including his own doctor. She didn't mind, she was always flattered that she was his greatest joke.

She still felt emotional after her earlier conversation with Hope. At first, her sister had a hard time understanding how a father could so easily dismiss the idea of having his own child. But after remembering just who the father was, it became clearer. Hope had always wanted children and she and Matthew were planning on trying soon. When weighing the options, either she agreed to take her niece or nephew as her own or Harley go through an unwanted abortion, the decision was easy. Harley just had to convince The Joker that this was the right decision. She dreaded the conversation. She would wait until after the meeting tonight to approach the topic although she was sure he would be asking if she made arrangements before she even got the chance to bring it up on her own.

"So who are we seein'?", Harley asked. Either he would ignore the question, scold her for asking something that was none of her business, or oblige and answer her.

"His name's Bane, newest edition to Gotham's underworld.", he told her as he led her out to the waiting vehicle. They were taking the van since J was bringing some henchmen with him. Three men in clown masks holding machine guns were sitting along the bench in the back of the van. Including the driver and the one in the passenger seat, there were five goons all together. The Joker helped Harley into the back of the van and followed her inside. The henchmen tried their hardest to not stare at their boss's wife, but if was hard with her wearing that little number as the van bounced up and down the pothole littered roads of Gotham.

The Joker leaned down and whispered into Harley's ear, "Did you, uh, make the appointment?"

Harley sat straight and stared ahead. She thought about pretending to not hear him over the noise of the squeaky van, but thought better of it as he squeezed her thigh. To the men sitting in the back, they would have assumed it was The Joker asserting dominance over the woman, but to Harley, she knew it was a threat.

Harley shook her head.

"Mmm", he growled. His fingers squeezed so tight that bruises would form soon. It felt like he was going to rip a chunk of flesh from her already scarred thigh. Her face flinched and she gripped the bench she was sitting on as she looked down to hide her pained expression. She growned quietly and he let go. Angry marks were left.

The couple remained quiet as they made their way to The Iceberg Lounge. The Joker spoke to the men once they came to a stop. "Keep your guns visible. Two flanking left and right, one keeps their eyes on Harley at all times. I don't know this guy, but he sounds dangerous. No one shoots unless we are shot at first. Driver stays in the car, passenger keeps his eyes on the exit. Clear?"

"Yes boss.", they all said in unison as they were trained to do.

The van doors opened and the goons piled out first. The Joker pulled Harley's face to look at his. "We will finish our conversation later. Right now I need you to be a good little girl for daddy." She would have nodded, but he was holding her jaw too tightly. They followed out of the van, Joker lifted Harley out with his hands on her waist. The couple walked through the doors first and the host led them to the private room where the man called Bane was already waiting. The room had a dinning table with eight seats around it. There was also a small sitting area with four lounge chairs. The room was dimly lit and there was a bartender behind a small bar in the corner waiting to serve. Bane had no other men with him. The Joker wasn't stupid enough not to think he didn't have anyone in the entire building, however.

Bane stood as the couple and their entourage came into the room. The henchmen took their places and held their guns against their chests. Bane's eyes shifted slowly, taking the situation in. The Joker's hand was on Harley's back as they stopped about six feet in front of Bane.

"The Clown Prince of Crime. The Ace of Knaves. The Harlequin of Hate. The Jester of Genocide. The King of Gotham.", Bane announced each name as though he were introducing The Joker to an audience. His accent was interesting and not quite identifiable.

Harley shifted her weight on her hips and put an arm around J. The Joker gestured for Bane to take a seat and watched him as he sat. Following suit, J sat with knees apart on the lounge chair across and pulled Harley onto his left thigh. She knew the game. She draped an arm around J's neck, her breasts resting near his freshly painted face. Bane's eyes slowly raked Harley's ruined body from toe to pigtails, but not in a seductive way, more as an interesting object. "And his lovely wife, Doctor Quinzel.", Bane finished. The Joker cocked his head away from Harley and studied Bane's appearance. He was a hulking figure with a contraption strapped to his head, some sort of strange apparatus on his mouth. It distorted his voice in an interesting way. He was calm, J noticed. He didn't fear The Joker. The Joker didn't like that.

The room had been quiet and the bartender was sweating bullets. The Joker lit a cigarette from his breast pocket. After taking his first puff, he gestured with his nicotine stained fingers to Bane and finally spoke, "What brings you to Gotham, _friend_?"

Bane's eyes smiled, "Change of scenery, I suppose."

The Joker didn't laugh.

"Actually, Joker, I'm a fan of your work. Bringing Gotham to its knees so quickly. Your theory of chaos intrigues me. I wonder," he paused, "how you gained the respect of The Batman and after everything you've done to this place."

"You've done your basic research, I see. But tell me, why Gotham? What can you offer this city? Why should I permit you to stay?"

"I felt drawn to this place. Its uniqueness in that although everything goes against it, it survives. It comes out the other side of adversity, but not for the better. I'm interested in watching it burn. Your power over this city, your philosophy of chaos pairs with my own philosophy of fear. Chaos and fear will bring this city to nothing more than a smoldering pile of ashes."

The Joker did not appreciate Bane's attempt to assert himself into Gotham's destiny. Harley could feel The Joker's muscles tense under her body and she upped her game by resting a hand on his chest and leaning her cheek against his matted hair. She crossed her leg so the toe of her stiletto rested against J's opposite calf.

Something about the way Harley moved on him helped him see his next play in this delicate conversation. She was always able to make him feel strong, dominant. Bane's eyes shifted to Harley for a moment before returning to J's narrowing gaze. Part of the reason he brought Harley to meetings like this was to test the opposition. Would they be respectful to him by respecting his wife or would they lust over her, giving him a reason to kill them? Her hand moved from J's chest to him stomach. His fingers rested on her hip, encouraging her and pulling her ever so closer.

The Joker spoke again, "I'm not interested in partnerships."

"With all due respect, I'm not interested in threatening your status, Joker. You alone own this city and I only request your permission to leave my own mark, to sprinkle a little lighter fluid on the inferno caused by you."

The Joker took another puff and squinted his dark eyes, he pointed a finger at Bane as he spoke, "I assume you're a planner. A _schemer_. Tell me what you are thinking for dear ol' Gotham."

"I do have some ideas. I would be foolish to jump into anything so soon. I understand you are not interested in partnerships, but I have no interest in making a name for myself. I take satisfaction in seeing the result, the fear running through the streets. I would appreciate your input. I am not at the point that I would share everything, but I would appreciate meeting with you another time once I have my bearings in this city."

The Joker straightened himself from the slump he had slowly slid into. He turned to look at Harley and she met his eyes. He licked his scars as he pondered. His eyes wandered down to her lips and her chest before he turned back to Bane. "I will consider it, but I'm a busy man and I don't have time for child's play."

Bane nodded, "You will not be disappointed." He took the cue that the conversation was coming to an end and slowly stood up. Joker gave Harley a tap on the backside and she hopped off his lap. The Joker stood and allowed Bane to walk ahead of him. He motioned to two of the henchmen to follow him out while the third followed the rear. Bane reached the idling vehicle that awaited him and turned one more time to the couple before he was driven off. The henchmen loaded up in the van, but before Harley could get in herself, The Joker pulled her back by her arm and slammed the van door closed. She whimpered in protest. He brought her to the side of the van and pushed her back against it. His hands rested on either side of her head.

"You little minx. You _dis-tract-e_ d daddy while he was working." His mouth was close to her ear as he growled the words.

"I-I'm sorry, Mista J."

"How am I going to make it all the way home without _punishing_ you?" His voice sent shivers down her spine.

"You don't have to wait.", she whispered and ran a finger down his lapel.

As he kissed her neck she closed her eyes and considered that this could be the last time they were together. He may leave her for what she was going to do. He would not like the plan she devised for their child, but she wasn't about to bring it up now as he hitched her legs around him, maneuvering around her romper to make love to her against the van in the The Iceberg Lounge parking lot.


	5. chapter 5

Harley woke up with a pounding headache. She struggled to open her eyes. With a little groan she attempted to stretch, but found she couldn't move her limbs. Her eyes shot open and darted around the room. The light was dim and the air was cool. She took in her familiar surroundings. A workbench neatly lined with different knives and tools. She was strapped to the same bed she was in when he cut her smile. Her arms and legs were bound to the bed by leather buckles. She was in their basement. The Joker walked up from behind her, and leaned over her as their noses almost touched. His eyes were black holes. He was wearing the slacks from earlier in the meeting, but removed his shirt and his suspenders hung at his side.

He moved to the end of the bed and narrowed his gaze at her.

"Daddy? What's going on?", her voice was dry and she felt hungover. Her headache was beginning to make her feel nauseous.

"Glad you asked, pumpkin. I'm here to _help_ you."

"Help... me?"

"Yeah. You see, it appears you need a little _push_ to encourage you to do the right thing. I get it honey, you're afraid. You're in a new situation. You're feeling emotional. But it's okay, daddy's gonna make it all better." He turned and walked to his workbench and dug through a toolbox of random items. Although The Joker loved knives and guns, he was also fond of unconventional means of torture for his victims, like broken pool cues. But, he pulled out a long knitting needle and turned toward her, brandishing his chosen item.

Realizing what The Joker was planning, she panicked. "Puddin'! Wait! I need to say something to you. Hear me out!"

"You wanna do it yourself?", he smirked and cocked his eyebrow as he slowly walked toward her.

She involuntarily tried squeezing her things together, but the restraints held firm. She squirmed as she said, "I've been thinking! Maybe there's a different way!"

"Harley, dear, _listen_. Listen!", his voice boomed and she shook. He pointed the needle at her as he spoke, "You can only serve _one_ master, Harley. _If_ I allowed you to keep, uh, _this_ -", he swirled the needle around her naval, "you would be making a choice to put _it_ before me. It's only nat-u-ral, Mother Nature intended _it_ to be this way. I don't appreciate being put _second_ and I won't allow myself to be second to anyone, let alone in _your_ eyes. I don't really, uh, share."

He put the needle between his teeth as he pulled a switchblade from his pocket. He tore a slit along the crotch of her romper and returned the knife to his pocket. "No, Joker! No!"

He looked up at her with a disapproving look. "At tat tat tat- shh shh shh. Let Doctor J have a look see here and _don't_ make any sudden moves, Harl."

"Joker! Wait! Listen to me! Hope is going to take the baby! Do you hear me?", she was screaming and shaking with desperation. "Hope and Matthew will raise it. I agree with you, Mista J, we can't have his baby, but it doesn't mean that someone else can't. Please, let me give it to Hope. She already said she'd take it."

He considered her words, "You've been _planning_ , Harley. Look _at_ you! You musta been nervous to bring up this lit-tle scheme. Hmm?"

Tears spilled from Harley's eyes, "Please?"

"I don' _t_ think so.", he positioned the needle at her entrance.

She thrashed around as much as she could. "You may as well kill me then! I will never forgive you for this. Never! You do this and I'm gone. If you don't kill me, I'll kill myself. That's a promise! I will never love you again."

She had never been so oppositional toward him. Even when he beat her close to death, she never said things quite that way. His eyes slowly looked up to hers. She was shaking like a leaf, her eyes dilated, almost black. Her breathing was heavy and quick and sweat was drenching her body. _Ooh, he liked what he was seeing in her._ He liked his Harley submissive, but something about the way she found a backbone here impressed him.

"If I even for a _moment_ entertained your lit-tle plan. You wouldn't like my _rules_.", he said as he stood straight.

"Anything!"

"After you have _it_ , it immediately goes to Hope. You don't get to keep it for even a day. Afterward, you never see _it_ or Hope or Matthew again, _ever_. It will never know who it's biological parents are. You will never, _never_ , speak to me about it either while carrying it or afterwards."

She nodded vigorously. "Yes! Yes to all of it! Please!"

" _Harley_ , if you break any of my rules... I will break you.", he said darkly.

"Thank you, Mista J!", she said through tears and she began laughing with relief.

He felt slight relief wash over him. He was not looking forward to plunging the knitting needle into his wife. As much as he loved causing her pain, he feared it may be the thing that broke her completely. No, his little Harley took initiative for once in her life and he would allow it this time. Oh, but she was not going to enjoy the next eight months. No, no, by the end of it, she was going to regret her decision and he would make sure she never put him second again.

He released her from her straps and she scrambled to him seeking comfort. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood still and refused to return her embrace. She didn't notice at first, but then pulled back and looked up to him. He removed her arms and walked back upstairs leaving her alone in the cold, dimly lit basement.

After Harley made it back to their bedroom she was alone. She saw the light spilling into the hallway from The Joker's office. She changed out of her torn romper and into a nightshirt. After crawling into bed, she tried to close her eyes and relax, but her heart was still beating wildly. She was shocked that he had actually changed his mind. That just wasn't something he did. Her hands rested on her still flat stomach and she imagined how it would feel as it started to swell with the little life she would never get to witness. She would call Hope tomorrow and let her know about J's decision.

The Joker sat at his desk, a pen carelessly drifting through his fingers as he stared at a speck on the wall of his office. His emotions drifted between anger and confusion. He was angry at the situation. This wasn't supposed to be able to happen. Harley shouldn't have been put in this situation to begin with. That little minx and her scheming behind his back, working with her sister. He didn't even know. He hated not knowing what was going on in her head. He was confused as to why he changed his mind. He didn't want children. He had done that before and it ruined him last time. Why couldn't he just get rid of it like it was the problem it was? Why did his hand refuse to plunge that needle into her womb? He felt himself wavering even before she begged him to stop. Oh, not just anger and confusion, but jealousy. He was jealous of that little blob that would be consuming Harley for the next several months and likely until the day she died. He didn't want to share her headspace with anyone else, let alone a child he never wanted. He would have to make her realize that he was all she needed. She would be desperate for him by the time this was over.

The sun was spilling across the bed as Harley slowly opened her eyes. She had slept restlessly since she heard The Joker leave his office around 4am. He came into the bedroom and rummaged through their closet. Harley pretended to be asleep, but watched him in the darkness. He pulled out a few shirts and grabbed some other clothes from their dresser. He walked closer to the bed and Harley had quickly shut her eyes. He stopped right next to her and grabbed the pack of cigarettes that were laying on her nightstand. He must have brought the items back to the office because it wasn't long before he passed the open door of their bedroom on his way down the stairs. She heard the front door open and close.

Now it was about 10am and she grabbed her phone from her nightstand. She had a missed call from Hope from about fifteen minutes prior. Harley pressed the call back button and waited for her sister to answer.

"Hey Harl. Sorry if I woke you."

"No, it's okay Hope. I must've slept through your call. It was a long night."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, listen, I talked to Mista J last night about the baby."

"Oh Harl, what'd he say?"

"Well, he was about to do it himself, Hope. He had me tied down and was gonna do the abortion." Hope gasped. "But after I told him about our plan, he changed his mind!"

"Harleen, this is ridiculous. It's his own child! What kind of man-", before she could finish her rant, she was cut off by Harley.

"Okay, Hope. I know, I get what you're saying, but this is happening. Don't you think my heart has already been shattered? This isn't how it was supposed to go, but it is. It's for the best."

Hope was silent for a moment. "I reached out to an OB that I know. I'm going to exchange some of my lawyer services with her so she can provide you with prenatal care. I'm bringing her by in about an hour. Is J gone?"

"Yeah, he left a while ago. I'm sure he won't be back til tonight. Honestly, I don't think he even wants to look at me right now. He said he doesn't want to hear anything about the baby. Hope, he wants you to take it as soon as it's born and he won't let me see you or the baby ever again."

"What?!"

"Listen to me Hope, you need to be the strong one right now. I need my sister. Please, you might be all I got."


	6. chapter 6

About an hour later, Hope arrived with the doctor to the decrepit duplex. Harley opened the front door for the two women and led them into the living room. Hope had pre-warned the doctor of the situation and of Harley's appearance, but she still looked nervous and wide-eyed as she walked into the home of the notorious Joker.

"Hello Harleen, I'm Doctor White. Your sister told me a little about your situation and I'm happy to be of any help to you."

The women sat on the couch and Harley sat in the opposite chair. Harley gave a nervous glance to Hope. She wasn't used to meeting with strangers and didn't appreciate the judgment that accompanied people from outside the criminal underworld of Gotham. It reminded her of just how abnormal her life had become. Hope gave Harley an encouraging nod.

"So Harleen, tell me a little about the type of birth you picture for your little one."

"Um, well, I haven't really thought about it. I don't think Mista J will let me go to a hospital. So I think a home birth, if that's ok?"

"Mister J?", the doctor asked.

"My husband, The Joker. I thought my sister mentioned-"

Hope turned to the doctor, "My sister generally refers to her husband in nicknames. Saying The Joker all the time is a bit of a mouthful." She giggled forcefully.

The doctor nodded and turned back to Harley. "Absolutely Harleen, lots of women do home births and as long as you aren't high risk, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll give you some pamphlets before I go. Now, how far along do you think you are? When was your last period?"

Harley shrugged, "I don't know, doc. I don't really think to track it. Maybe a couple months ago."

"Well I did bring my portable ultrasound machine with me so I can estimate a due date for you, but it may fluctuate a little."

Harley nodded.

The doctor continued, "I need to ask you some personal questions. I ask all my patients and please be as honest as you can. Do you have any concerns? Bleeding? Cramping?" The doctor pulled out her iPad and awaited Harley's answers.

"No. Nothing like that.", Harley responded.

"Good, good. Any symptoms? Morning sickness? Food aversions?"

"I'm tired a lot and I throw up all the time."

The doctor chuckled and nodded, "Very normal and also good signs! Okay, any history of drinking or drug use?"

Harley's eyes darted to Hope. Hope was unaware of any of Harley's illegal vices and she was also interested in the answer. Harley bit her lip and was silent.

The doctor spoke up, "It's okay, Harleen. It's important that you're honest with me here. I'm not going to rat you out to the cops or anything."

"Well, sometimes I have a glass of wine."

"No problem at all. In fact I always tell my patients that one glass of red wine a week is acceptable in my book."

Harley chuckled nervously. "That's not all though. I've dabbled with cocaine."

Hope's eyes widened as she looked away from Harley.

The doctor put on a smile, "Okay, about how often have you used and how did you use it? When was the last time?"

"I usually snort it. Um, it depended on how often Mista J brought it to me. Sometimes I would have it a few times a week, but other times I would go a month between uses. The last time I used was the day before I found out I was pregnant."

The doctor nodded, "Harleen, I would encourage you to not use anymore especially while pregnant. It can have a very negative impact on the baby. You could go into early labor or lose the baby. Are you experiencing any withdrawal symptoms?"

"I don't typically experience many symptoms except migraines. I've had one for the last couple days, but today it's just a regular headache."

The doctor nodded. "Withdrawal may get worse or you may be one of the lucky ones who doesn't experience many symptoms. From what you've told me, I'm guessing it will be the latter. However, if you need a referral to a rehab program, I can help you."

Hope was seething on the inside. That man has ruined her sweet innocent sister in more ways than she knew.

"Harleen, I know this may be a sensitive subject. But can you tell me if your husband, well, if he abuses you? Physically?", the doctor asked in a subdued voice, leaning towards Harley.

Harleen chuckled and then upon seeing the two women's concern, she began laughing and covered her mouth. "Oh doc, come on now.", she giggled. "Look at me!" Harley wiped a tear from her eye. "I know, I know, it's not funny. But, I'm married to The Joker!"

"Harleen, please. Don't take this the wrong way, but there are options for you. There are safe places. You don't have to be here. You're not stuck in this situation-"

"Okay, look, I don't need to see you if you're just going to pester me about leaving my husband, who I love more than anything, by the way. I'm well aware that my _situation_ is unusual by your standards. But I ain't goin' anywhere. He'd find me anyway."

"I hear you and I'm not about to overstep my welcome here, but I just couldn't leave without saying it."

"I appreciate your concern, doctor.", Harley winked.

"Shall we take a peek inside? If you're far along enough, we will may be able to see the little sweetheart."

Harley nodded and walked over to the couch as directed. She laid down and lifted her tank top. The doctor kneeled beside her and set the small machine on the coffee table. It looked like a chunky laptop. As the doctor smeared the warm gel on Harley's stomach, Hope stood behind the couch and gripped Harley's hand. The twins looked at each other and smiled. As the doctor probed Harley's belly, clouded images popped up on the screen. Suddenly, there it was, the little gummy bear-shaped blob.

"There it is, ladies. I'm estimating Harley to be about 8 weeks along. Everything looks really good from what I can see here."

As they watched the little flicker of a heartbeat, they heard a car pull up outside.

"It's probably just one of the guys coming back for supplies.", Harley said absentmindedly as she watched the screen in wonder.

The doctor looked nervously to the window at the front of the house, but couldn't see the car. Footsteps pounded up the front steps and the front door opened. All three women's eyes shot to the door as The Joker walked inside. He was wearing his purple suit and painted face. He walked in a few steps toward the living room. The floorboards creaked in the silent room, silent except for the whooshing sound coming from the monitor. His face was stoic as his eyes drifted between the three of them. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and gestured toward them, "Whadda we have here?"

The doctor pulled the equipment back in her bag quickly. Harley sat up, pulling her hurt over her tummy that was still sticky with the gel. Hope stood up straight and kept her eyes on the man.

"Hi daddy. This is Doctor White. She's gonna be keeping an eye on me and the, uh, well me.", Harley said quickly.

He took another puff and then extinguished the cigarette in the nearby ashtray. He grunted in acknowledgment. The doctor stood up and her fingers were wrapped tightly around the handle of her medical bag. "Nice to meet you, Mr Joker.", the doctor said as she nervously pushed her a tendril of dark hair behind her ear. "I was just finishing up here with your sweet wife here."

"Yeah, she's a real _peach_.", he sneered.

The doctor turned and left a card with Harley and scurried out the front door as quickly as she could.

"What's goin' on, Harl?", he asked as he furrowed his brow.

Hope took a step towards him, "Harleen is receiving prenatal care, Joker. She needs this if she's going to remain healthy." She was shaking with anger still after her earlier conversation with Harley. He was even more of a monster than she realized.

He stepped towards Hope, now towering over her. "You're welcome."

"Excuse me?", Hope said sounding exacerbated.

"I heard about your _lit-tle_ plan. This is all for you, dear sister.", he gestured to Harley. "So, you're _welcome_."

Hope rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Listen, Joker-"

"Mmmhmm."

"Let Harleen come stay with me until she has the baby. I'll look after her and you won't have to deal with the pregnancy. It's obvious you are against this whole thing anyway."

The Joker chuckled. "Is that what you want Harley-girl?" He walked towards Harley who was still sitting on the couch. "You wanna go live with sister? You wanna _leave me_?"

"No, Mista J! Honest! I wanna stay here with you!" Harley panicked and gave Hope a disapproving look for springing this idea out of nowhere.

The Joker turned to Hope. "I think it's time for you to go now."

"Harleen, my invitation is always open. You can come stay with me if you need to. I'll keep you safe."

The Joker rolled his eyes. "She's fine with me here. She always has been. You're being dramatic. Listen, I don't care if you have your little chats on the phone and talk about _that_ as long as I don't have to hear about it. But I don't want these little doc visits happening under my roof again. If you must, Harley can go to your house for them. Got i _t_?"

Hope nodded. "Fine." She hugged Harley tight before she turned and left to take the scared doctor home.

Harley jumped up and walked up to J. "Sorry about all that, daddy. You're home early. Want me to make ya some coffee?" She ran her hands up and down his chest.

"This jacket is missing a button." He took off his suit coat and placed it in her hands before walking upstairs to his office.

She held the coat tight, breathing in his scent as she watched him walk away.


	7. chapter 7

Hope was fixing dinner that evening. Lasagna and a garden salad. Matthew had been working in the yard most of the afternoon. She could tell he had something on his mind. She was sure what it was too. Ever since talking to him about Harleen's baby, he seemed distant. They wanted children and although this was a little sooner than they planned, even he had a hard time saying no to this opportunity. Neither of them wanted any child to be raised by The Joker and neither of them wanted Harleen to be forced into aborting either.

As she began to set the table she saw that Matthew was walking up the porch and making his way through the sliding glass door.

"Hey babe, it's lookin' good out there." She kissed his cheek.

He walked to the sink and washed his hands and wiped some water across his sweaty brow. "Yeah, it's coming along.", he replied distantly.

The two sat down and Hope poured some red wine into their glasses. Matthew stared at his empty plate, not quite focusing on anything.

"Penny for your thoughts?", Hope asked as she winked at him across the table.

"What if, what if the baby ends up like him. Like the evil is just in its genes or something."

Hope smiled, "I don't really think that's how it works." She reached across and rubbed his hand.

"Logically, I know you're right, but I can't shake the feeling that one day this kid is going to start torturing small animals or light their school on fire."

Hope chuckled, "I feel like you're over thinking this, Matt. He doesn't even want to see this kid, like ever. Once we take it from them, he won't even let me see Harleen again." Her voice trailed off during her last sentence. She tried not to think about what was going to happen after the baby was born. The situation was bittersweet in that she was getting excited about having a baby, but heartbroken that it meant she would lose her sister again, but this time forever.

Matthew stood up and walked to her and kneeled next to her side. He brushed the hair away from her face sweetly. "You know, if you feel this isn't the right thing to do, then we can always back out."

"No Matthew, I really don't think we can. I want this baby. I want to do this for my sister. I can't let him ruin an innocent little life, a life that is so closely connected to me."

Matthew kissed her hair and walked to the window to stare out at the yard. "I feel the same way, Hope. I really do. But I think we need to take every precaution we can with this. I think we should move. We don't have to move out of the city if you don't want to, but I don't think they should know where we live. I also think we need to join a church."

"A church? Matthew, I didn't think you were the religious type." She giggled.

"I just think that if we're going to be raising the child of the devil, we're going to need all the help we can get."


	8. chapter 8

Three months had passed. The Joker had been keeping himself out of the house as much as possible. Seeing Harley's stomach begin to swell made his anger grow even more. She was beginning to get needy, well, needier than she had been. The more he ignored her, slept in his office, and refused her advances, he could see by the look in her eyes that she was breaking down. Everything was going as planned. She would be so desperate for him by the time this was all said and done, she would never defy him again.

As he stood in the steamy bathroom after his shower, his hands supported himself against the sink. With only a towel wrapped around his waist, he looked up to see his reflection. His bare face stared back at him. His eyes drifted to the mark she left on his chest so many months ago. A permanent scar that would stay with him always, her signature diamond with his wife's initials on the inside. As he continued ignoring her for the last four months, he didn't realize the toll it would have taken on him too. He knew if he gave in to her, touched her, kissed her, then his work would be ruined. She would think that she was in charge and possibly think there was a chance he'd allow her to keep that thing _inside_ her. Oh, but he longed to be with his Ha-ha-Harley again.

He had a few brief meetings with Bane over the last several weeks. He still didn't trust the newcomer, but he did have a fascinating mind. The Joker was currently getting ready for another meeting with the man. After applying fresh paint, he stepped out of the bathroom into the connecting bedroom that was mainly Harley's now. She wasn't in the room so he picked out a suit from the closet and laid it out on the bed. He dropped the towel and walked to the dresser as the bedroom door opened. His eyes quickly darted to see Harley standing there with wide eyes staring at all of him.

"It's not polite to stare.", he said as he pulled out a pair of boxers and began to get dress.

"S-sorry, Puddin'." She looked apprehensive about staying or leaving and he gestured for her to come in. She sat on the bed and tried not to stare at him as he pulled on his pants and belt.

She bit her lip and looked up to him as tears began to fill her blue eyes. She longed for his attention. She wasn't sure why he was torturing her with indifference. She had to assume it was from the little angel who was now filling her womb with kicks and flutters. She only hoped he would come back to her after the baby was gone. As he pulled his shirt over his shoulders she quickly stood up and slowly lifted her fingers to the first button. He moved to stop her, but then let his arms drift back to his sides. He gazed into her eyes as he felt her delicate fingers slowly close each button, savoring the closeness. His breath slowly became deeper and heavier. She finished the last button and he handed her his tie. Her fingers grazed his as she took it and gently wrapped it around his collar. As she tied a perfect Windsor knot she let her hand glide up the silk material as she tightened it. His eyes fluttered to her lips as he struggled to maintain his resolve.

"Daddy.", she whispered.

That was it. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close to him as his mouth ravaged her own. He kissed her angrily as he mentally scolded himself, but he couldn't stop. She moved her hands to his hair as she stood on her tiptoes. Finally he growled and pushed her back on the bed. She was breathless as she looked up at him with lust in her eyes. He looked down at her as he considered his options and then he decided. He turned and walked out of the room as he slammed the door behind him. He heard her loud sobs as he walked down the stairs and met his driver.

The meeting with Bane was at The Grin and Bare It. The Joker found the man sitting in a booth along the back wall. As he took a seat, a barely dressed waitress came by to take drink orders. As she sauntered away for a couple of whiskeys, The Joker adjusted in his seat, averting his eyes from the stage.

"Tell me Joker, if you don't mind, how many times have they locked you away in Arkham?", Bane asked, finally breaking the silence.

The Joker leaned back into the seat and lit a cigarette. The drinks were brought back to the table and the waitress winked at the men. "They all start bleeding together, to tell you the truth. I'd venture to say five. Looking to book a trip yourself?"

Bane chuckled, "Do they hand out attractive doctors as parting gifts to all their patients?"

The Joker's initial reaction was to blow the man's head off with his pistol, but then he remembered that he wanted to hear Bane's plan before he killed him. So instead he smirked and leaned in, " _Only_ if you're a good boy.", and he took another puff and downed his drink.

"I bet they have a fair collection going of Gotham's finest. Are you aware of who might currently be incarcerated?"

The Joker's eyes looked away as he mentally checked through the list of rogues in his head. "Jervis Tetch, Victor Zsasz, Jonathan Crane (he sneered), Cornelius Stirk, and about a dozen lesser knowns. Why do you ask?"

Bane leaned in and spoke in a low voice, "What's the one thing holding you back from finally getting what you want, Joker? Who's the one person that keeps you from using Gotham as your throne?"

The Joker knew who he was talking about. _How dare he even think he's worthy of mentioning the name, let alone hatch some sort of scheme against him?_

The Joker extinguished his cigarette and gave Bane a nonchalant glance. "Ya know, I thought that _maybe_ , just maybe you'd be fun to play around with. I can appreciate a fresh idea here and there and I know with your intellect, you're full of 'em. But, don't try to mess with things that aren't yours." The Joker's glare pierced through Bane, his voice growing angry and intense.

"I would never attempt to-", Bane began.

"I know you're thinking of taking on The Bat and you should know that he belongs to me and only me. The Batman-", he sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to calm his rage, "The Batman will be taken down by my hand alone and only when I deem the time to be right. Get tha _t_?"

Bane put his hands up defensively, "This isn't what you're thinking, Joker, give me a chance. I think you'll like what I have to say."

J removed his pistol from its holster and rested it on the table, clenched in his fist. "Speak."

"I have no desire to take on The Batman. I only have an idea that will assist you further in your reign over the city. What I am presenting will divert his attention from you and your chaos, while he is busy putting out other fires."

"And what would those other fires be?"

"Why, the fine people being imprisoned at Arkham Asylum, of course."

The Joker's hand loosened on his gun momentarily as the gears worked in his brain. He gave a nod for Bane to continue.

"I'm quite aware of your knowledge of the facility and your expertise in pyrotechnics. I believe if we band together, you and I will be able to break out every violent inmate and let them free into the city. While they are busy spreading chaos and spilling blood, Batman will have no choice but to hunt each and every one down. Not to mention that Arkham will have to go under extensive reconstruction after you let loose on it. It will take him months to collect them all again and he will be left exhausted, drained, and broken, giving you the opportunity to do with him however you please."

"What do you get out of all this?"

"The satisfaction of seeing a city in ruin. Fear running the streets. I do not seek a position of authority, Joker, you must understand that. I work better behind the scenes."

The Joker looked around the room, eyes resting on the stage, "Get it together and come to me when you have all the pieces." He holstered his weapon and stood up, exiting the club.


	9. chapter 9

The next afternoon, Harley was sitting in a comfortable recliner with a blanket wrapped around her in Hope's living room. She just finished her twenty-week appointment with Dr White.

Hope walked in from the kitchen and gave Harley her cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. "A little girl.", Hope smiled. "I can't believe it, it almost doesn't seem real."

Harley gave a small smile and sniffed her drink. She had so many mixed emotions. She could feel the tears once again gathering in her eyes. Between the pregnancy hormones, her marital issues, and losing the only baby she'd ever have, she almost couldn't take it anymore.

"Harls, you wanna talk about it? Let it all out?"

"I just- I just can't even wrap my thoughts around any of it. Hope, my heart hurts all the time. I mean, Mista J won't even look at me most of the time. I've disappointed him so much. I miss him. Sometimes... sometimes I wish that I just got rid of the baby in the beginning. Then it wouldn't hurt so bad." Harley began sobbing and she put the mug down so she could bury her face in her hands. "Oh Hope, I'm sure a terrible mother! How could I have these feelings?"

Hope came to her and curled up in the chair while wrapping her arms around her sister. "Listen to me Harleen. You are such a wonderful, selfless mother. You could have taken the easy way out and had an abortion, but you risked your life to stand up against that man. You demanded to keep your baby safe even if it meant you would lose her. You are so brave, sweetie. I admire you so much. I promise that you will always be her mother, always. She may not know it, but I will. Thank you for this precious gift." She kissed Harley's cheek and held her while they both had silent tears stream down their faces.

"Hannah Joy.", Harley whispered.

"What was that?"

"Hope, I want to give our little girl a gift, probably the only gift I'll ever be able to give her. I want to name her Hannah Joy."

"Oh Harl, that's so beautiful. Thank you for giving her such a lovely name."

A few days later, The Joker was coming home late, almost midnight. He wanted to crawl onto the couch in his office and forget about everything for a few hours. Normally Harley would be asleep by the time he came home, but he saw the light on in the kitchen flooding through the living space. He also heard her singing. He crept to the kitchen and stood behind the wall, but peeked in to see her standing in front of the counter with her back to him. She was wearing her normal sleep shorts and a tank top. When she turned to the side he could see her swollen belly sticking out from under her shirt. She was singing a song along with the radio:

 _But you don't judge me'Cause if you did, baby, I would judge you tooNo, you don't judge me'Cause if you did, baby, I would judge you too_

 _'Cause I got issuesBut you got 'em tooSo give 'em all to meAnd I'll give mine to youBask in the gloryOf all our problems'Cause we got the kind of loveIt takes to solve 'em_

 _Yeah, I got issuesAnd one of them is how bad I need you_

He could see that she was frosting a cake, chocolate. As the song finished, she poured sprinkles excessively across the top. She turned off the radio, but continued to hum the song. She grabbed a plate and a fork and a cup of milk and as she balanced all of that in her hands she also lifted the large plate with the cake. She headed towards the living area slowly. He stepped back trying to hide in the shadow of the corner he was in, but she saw him anyway. Surprised, she let out a shriek and everything in her arms flew up into the air and landed on the floor. The plate and the milk glass shattered and milk started seeping into the cracks in the hardwood. The cake landed face up, but the dish it was resting on cracked in half making the cake also crack in half. Harley's hand flew up to her heart as she tried to catch her breath from the scare. He stood there with his mouth agape and hands held up defensively. Her lip began to tremble and she covered her face as she ran up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door. The Joker looked down at the mess and went into the kitchen to grab some towels. As he sopped up the milk his eyes drifted over to the cake. It was a chocolate on chocolate, his favorite. She had written words in red gel icing, "Happy 1 Year Anniversary" and signed it with her initials. She had been bringing it upstairs to put in his office before he came home. He sighed and tossed the rags in the sink. He looked around for a broom and finally found one. He swept up all the broken glass and tossed it in the trash can. He sat the broken cake on the counter and dipped a finger in the chocolate frosting and licked it off his finger. He leaned against the counter and rested his forehead on the cabinet. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. He pushed off and headed up the stairs. He stopped outside her bedroom and listened through the door. He heard the bed creak as she tossed and turned. He opened the door and the room was dark except for the light that spilled in from the hallway.

"Harley-"

She sat up, it was the first time he uttered her name in months and it sounded so sweet.

He licked his scars, "Thanks for the cake."

She sniffed and fiddled with the blanket in her hands, "You're welcome, Mista J." She wiped the drying tears from her face. He pursed his lips and closed the door.

Three months had passed. Harley was counting down the final weeks until she would lose so much of what she held dear. She had grown very attached to Hannah already. She felt the baby girl dance and wiggle in her womb at all hours of the day and night. Harley would poke at her tummy and Hannah would kick right back. Harley sang and read to the baby every day.

Things with The Joker were worse than ever. He must have been working on something big because he was so rarely home. Even when he was home, he would be locked in his office. Harley had been brave enough to peek inside the room one day to find that he had been working on a dozen detonators. She had been watching the henchmen stock up on drums of gasoline and crates of other things she was unable to recognize. Aside from daily conversations with Hope and the occasional visit from Ivy, Harley hadn't spoken to anyone. She was forbidden to leave the house the moment she started showing. J hadn't said much of anything to her since the night of their anniversary. She longed for him to kiss her again, speak to her, even hit her. Her thoughts plagued her. _Was he still in love with her? Would he kill her after the baby was born? Would things ever get back to normal? Had he found someone else to spend his time with?_ The last fear was the biggest. He had never been much for relationships before Harley, but he was still a man with needs and she wasn't the one fulfilling those needs for him.


	10. chapter 10

The night had come for implementation of The Joker and Bane's collaborative plan. J had been impressed with the man's intelligence and drive. Bane had been cooperative with The Joker taking over the plan after Bane announced his idea several months back.

The Joker had created enough explosives to take out half of Arkham and with them precisely placed in the asylum with the assistance of his workers on the inside. Word had spread among the incarcerated fiends that they would be let loose to reign hell on the streets of Gotham. If all went accordingly, The Batman would be kept busy wrangling the rogues for months.

"Remember what we talked about, if The Bat shows, you don't touch him. He belongs to me.", The Joker stated firmly during their preliminary meeting.

Bane replied, "Of course! You don't have to worry, Joker. This is your show."

The hour was late as the two rattled along in an old Cadillac. Bane was calm, serene. The Joker glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he drove. Something seemed off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The car came to a stop about half a mile from the asylum. As the two walked briskly along the towering cement wall that bordered the asylum grounds, Joker kept an eye on Bane. Joker carried a black backpack with all the detonators that were connected to each of the twelve explosives in the old building. Arkham was like a second home to him, he almost felt nostalgic when he thought about the old place crumbling in ruins.

They approached the guard booth at the entrance and Joker quickly shot at the man before he had a second to register the unexpected guests. The two made quick work of getting to the nearest fire exit door.

It was 12:03 am and his inside guard was to have disabled the alarm and open the door at 12:05. They rested with their backs to the wall as they waited. Once the door opened, they shimmied inside.

"Listen, we need to get as many inmates out as possible before we detonate. Don't be long, take out any staff you come into contact with. Meet back here by 12:30. Oh, uh, if you run into Jonathan Crane, I wouldn't be heartbroken if you left him in his cage.", Joker instructed. The guard gave them each a key card programmed to work in any cell. Bane and the guard nodded.

The group split as they headed to the different floors. The Joker took the elevator. He whistled to himself as he listened to the overhead soft jazz. Once the door dinged and opened he was face to face with a late shift doctor and nurse. The women shrieked and threw their clipboards and files into the air.

"Ladies, ladies! Why so skittish? Is it the scars?", he gestured to his painted face. The nurse turned on her heel and ran, but The Joker lifted his pistol and shot her in the back of the head without so much of a glance. He slowly walked up to the poor trembling doctor who dropped to her knees as she begged not to be hurt. "Now I wish I had more time to play. I've always had a fondness for the fine doctors here at Arkham. But the clock is ticking!" He holstered his gun and pulled the knife out of his coat pocket. As he descended on the woman he plunged the knife into the blonde over and over. He felt a release he didn't realize he needed. When he looked down at her blood spattered face he could almost see his Harley. Oh how he had fantasized about doing this to Ha-ha-Harley for so long. As the alarms began to go off, the annoying buzz brought him out of his reverie and he felt almost drunk. He growled as he stood up and wiped the sweat and blood off his brow. He jogged down the hall and through two security doors. The halls were empty. The sorry state of Arkham's security hadn't changed much and probably still wouldn't even after this stunt. Inmates cheered and shouted as The Joker ran the key card through as many locks as he could get to.

The yelling and hoots from the escapees was almost defending. The Joker pulled his pocket watch out and saw that it was 12:25. He had five minutes to get back downstairs. He jogged back to the elevator since the stairwells were clogged full of inmates trying to run. There were gunshots heard in the distance, presumably from the few security guards who actually cared. Oh how he hoped The Bat would show up soon. The Joker joined Bane and the guard that was working with them had booked it. Bane nodded his success. The Joker pulled open the backpack and handed Bane six of the detonators. Once they made it back outside to the Arkham grounds, they waited until the flood of inmates became a trickle. "No time like the present!", The Joker stated. The two began activating each detonator and watched in awe as the ancient building cracked and crumbled with the sound of the massive explosions.

"Joker! What have you done?", The Batman finally made his entrance.

"You're a, uh, a little late Bat. No matter, you're in time for your surprise! Do you like it?", The Joker asked with a gleeful voice bouncing like a child.

The Batman descended on The Joker as the two engaged in their old familiar combat. Punctuated by The Joker's manic giggles, The Bat was pummeling his fist into his face. The Joker's laugh ceased and his eyes dilated as the sound of a bullet cut through the air, then another and another. The Batman looked down at The Joker's chest and saw the spread of dark blood across his shirt and waistcoat. He laid The Joker down on the ground and looked up to see Bane standing tall with his arm extended, holding a pistol.

The Joker turned his head to Bane, "You!", he seethed.

"Yes Joker, it's all coming together now. I know you're angry, but you'll soon learn your place if you survive."

Batman stepped forward over The Joker. "I'll show you your place." He launched himself at Bane. Bane's hidden strength took Batman off guard. But it seemed for a moment that Batman had the upper hand as he whipped punches and kicks at the strong man. But Bane quickly turned it around and tackled Batman to the ground. "I'd like to say that this will be the first of many meet ups for us, Batman, but I just don't think you're going to cut it." As Batman tried to roll over on his side to get back up, Bane grabbed him by his thigh and shoulder and raised him high overhead For a moment he stood there, holding his trophy as The Joker watched helpless and weak from the ground. Bane swiftly brought the Bat down upon his knee with a splintering sound of his back cracking. The Bat let out a groan as he was dropped to the ground. Bane looked at the two defeated men laying a few feet apart. "Gentlemen, I introduce you to the new King of Gotham.", and he bowed at them then turned and walked away from the burning asylum grounds.

The Joker and Batman laid on the ground panting, both unable to move themselves. The Joker touched his stomach and lifted his hand to see the blood. He let out a chuckle and reached in his pocket for his phone. "This isn't how I expected this to go, Batsy." Batman turned his head and let out a breathy sigh at the predicament they were in together. The Joker dialed a number and held the phone to his ear.

"Ouch! Hannah Banana! You're stepping on your mama's bladder!" Harley had been feeling sorry for herself all day and decided to make it up by doing something special that evening. She was sitting on the couch watching Pretty Woman as she ate homemade butterscotch pudding out of a large mixing bowl. She wore baggy sweatpants and a too small tank top. She rubbed her stomach and smiled as she felt the baby's movement. "Oh Hannah, this is the best part! She's gonna gonna go back to the dress shop and show those-", her cell phone rang next to her and she jumped, almost spilling the pudding. "Ah! Hello?", she answered.

"Haaaarley." The Joker's voice drawled on the other end of the line.

She sat up straight with sudden jolt and confusion swept through her brain. "Mista J?!"

"I need your help, Harley girl. Daddy's in trouble. I need you to get Felix and some of the guys to come get me right away. I'm at Arkham, in the grass on the north west side. I'm hurt, sugar, okay? Tell them to bring the first aid kits. Uh, Harl, _fast_."

Harley was shaking and tears were filling her eyes. As he spoke she was already slipping on her flip flops to run next door.

"And Harley, I don't want you to come, hear me?"

"Uh-huh, okay." She was so frazzled she didn't realize she had barely said a word.

"Harl?"

She stood still for a moment. "Daddy?", she hiccuped.

"I love you, sweetheart."

She took a deep breath and suddenly felt so much worse. "Don't worry. They're coming." She hung up and then cursed at herself realizing she didn't return his rare sentiment.

She ran next door to the other side of the duplex where the henchmen lived. She burst through the door where several men were watching a movie and a few others were drinking and playing poker. A newer man who had never seen Harley before stood abruptly and raised his gun at her. "What the-". Felix cut him off and pushed his arm down.

"Mick! That's Miss Quinn, the boss's wife!", he chastised.

"The who?"

Freddie, another longtime employee shook his head, "You've got a lot to learn, boy."

Felix looked to Harley who he hadn't seen in months. None of them had known about her pregnancy and they were all a bit shocked to finally see her and to see why she had been in hiding. "What's up, Ms Quinn?"

"It's Mista J! He's hurt.", she breathed heavily, "Take all the first aid kits. We have and get to Arkham now! He's laying in the grass in the north west lawn. Hurry!", she yelled. Several men jumped up and ran to grab the supplies. They loaded up into the van and Harley went with them.

It was an usually clear night in Gotham as The Joker and Batman stared up into the starry sky. Batman had just called Alfred and his help was on the way. The Joker slightly lifted his head before feeling too dizzy and letting it fall back to the ground. He sighed.

"I owe you an apology, Batsy."

Batman grunted, "Why's that?"

"I let that fool put his hands on you. No one touches my property. Now look at you. You're pathetic."

Batman scoffed and almost let a smile sneak out at the absurdity of the situation they were in.

The Joker's help arrived first. The van pulled up onto the asylum lawn. Sirens could finally be heard in the distance as well as a helicopter. Several men jumped out of the van. "About time! I'm bleeding to death over here.", the Joker said. Just then Harley jumped out of the van and ran to his side as the men were lifting him up.

"Oh Puddin'!", she cried.

The Joker grimaced, " _Harley_ , I told you to stay home."

He found he could barely put weight on his legs without them giving out underneath him. Two more men came and carried his legs while the other two hooked their arms under his shoulders. They gently lifted him into the back of the van.

Batman watched curiously as an ambulance and several cop cars began to pull up onto the lawn. Was it just him or did Harley Quinn look pregnant?

The Joker was sprawled out on the floor of the back of the van. The fairly new recruit, Mick, was the only one with any medical training. He had been an EMT before his alcoholism got in the way a few years back. Someone switched on the overhead light so Mick could see better.

Harley sat cross legged, cradling The Joker's head in her lap. He was looking more lethargic as he lazily licked at his scars. Harley caressed the sides of his face and leaned down as far as her belly would let her, placing a small kiss on his nose.

Mick was undoing The Joker's shirt. "Boss, do you know how many shots you took?"

The Joker was bleeding heavily and held up three fingers. He closed his eyes.

"I need help sitting him up." He gestured to the other men. They quickly moved to lift their boss into a sitting position as Harley reluctantly let go. They removed the rest of his clothing only to see that there were three holes in his back, but only two exit wounds in the front. "You still got one of those suckers in ya boss.", Mick said. He began to dress the wounds he could see and applied pressure.

The van made it home quickly. Felix had called Dr Armstrong while they were picking up The Joker and he was already at the house by the time they got home. The doctor talked the men through how to bring him inside gently and how to place him on the kitchen table on The Joker and Harley's side of the duplex.

The night was long. Mick and Felix were the only henchmen who stayed to assist the doctor. The doctor requested that Harley stay away while he worked due to her condition and the stress she would be put under if she were to watch. When The Joker weakly nodded in agreement, she listened.

Late the next morning, Harley woke up in a panic, not meaning to have fallen asleep. She looked around and The Joker was no longer on the table. Mick walked out of the kitchen and saw Harley.

"Oh, uh, Ms Quinn. He's upstairs resting. He's gonna be okay."

"Oh thank God.", she sighed.

"Would you like some coffee? I mean, its caffeinated.", he gestured to her stomach.

"No, I'm fine thanks.", she rubbed her forehead trying to escape the fog left from only a few hours of sleep. The adrenaline rush had exhausted her, but left her feeling shaky.

Mick sat down in an opposite chair. "Sorry about raising a gun at ya last night. You took me by surprise. I didn't know the boss was married."

Harley rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, doesn't surprise me." She looked at the stairs and considered going up, but thought maybe he would rather rest, but what if he needed her?

"So, by the way. The doc was only able to get two of the bullets out. One is stuck near his spine and the doc said that it was best to leave it rather than risk further nerve damage."

"Further nerve damage?"

"Yeah, so apparently he's going to need some rehab or therapy or whatever. He can't walk great right now. The doc doesn't think it's permanent, but his legs are real weak right now so he's gonna need support. If you need us to help move him or whatever, a couple of us can stay over here or he can come to the other side and stay with us."

Harley felt numb. It was almost too much to take. Who did this to her Puddin'? No one breaks The Joker. She made up her mind to go upstairs to see him.

Outside the closed bedroom door she rested her ear against it. Then she opened it just enough to peer in. He was laying asleep on the bed with an arm draped over his forehead. She crept in and sat next to him, making the bed frame creak under her weight.

"Haaaaarley.", he drawled. So he was awake.

"Yes, Mista J.", she crawled over to him.

"Did they tell ya?"

"Yeah.", she said quietly. "It's gonna be okay Mista J, I'm gonna-"

"Harl-", he cut her off. "Do daddy a favor and wash my make up off. Would ya?"

She jumped up and retrieved a warm, wet rag from the attached bathroom. Sitting by him again she stroked the rag gently across his painted face. She had done this before and always enjoyed the intimacy of it. She hadn't been this close to him in months. As she kneeled next to him on the bed, her blonde hair hung over his face and he reached up twirling a strand around his fingers. She worked at the stubborn red paint lining his scars and she stared into his eyes.

"Daddy, I don't know what to say.", she said quietly as she ran a hand through his matted curls.

"We've got a while to talk about whatever we want Harley girl."

She tossed the rag on the floor and laid down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to snuggle close. She breathed in his scent and sighed. He closed his eyes and after a moment they shot open. He felt something. He felt something small rhythmically kicking his ribs from Harley's belly.

 _Thank you so much for taking to time to read through this series. It means so much to me when you read, favorite, and comment. I'm excited for the future of this story and I only have a couple more stories in this collection._

 _Song credit: Issues by Julia Michaels_


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